@ anyone with a 5-6 year old? (NCE&P related)

[erbear]

Help me. I trust you ladies more than the MM crowd right now.

My 5.5 year old has always been my easy kid (compared to her honeybadger 3 year old sister). Rule follower, helpful, kind, loving. 

In the past 3 months, she has gone off the crazy train. Defiant, screaming, yelling, not listening. She is in camp and refuses to do the activities, except for swimming, which she loves. It is very unlike her, since she loves school and her teachers. Tonight, she punched her sister in the face 

When she's being an asshole, I put her up in her room until she calms down but she keeps doing the same shit.

Normal? Something I need to talk to someone about? Any tips? I'm at a loss and I want my sweet girl back

[tres3]

I think normal. 5 had good parts and bad parts but 6 is when they turn in to little humans

[katfco]

That's about the age Abby was when she turned into a little terror. We tried to handle it calmly and gently (note: tried. Not always possible). When she was rude or disrespectful, we told her that if she couldn't be respectful, she couldn't be around people and sent her to her room, just like you. We also tried to head off outbursts before they got too bad.

If she's getting really violent, it might be helpful to talk about self-control and help her find ways to channel her frustration.

Abby went through this for a few months, and got over it until about a year later when she was turning 6, then again when she was turning 7.

[frlcb]

6 has been awful for us. Horrible. It started around 5.5 but now that my son is 6 he is like a little devil. I spent a couple of months yelling and realized that was not productive for anyone so now I take deep breaths, stay calm, and it is getting slightly better.

I sympathize. Intensely.

[vanillacourage]

Normal. 

When DS1 is calm and in a good mood we talk through together what consequences for X, Y or Z should be, agree on something and then I hold him to it when he acts crazy. 

Punching her sister in the face is not ok though. That would be in end-his-world territory for me - no TV or iPad for a week to start. 

[erbear]

Jul 29, 2014 21:00:49 GMT -5 vanillacourage said:

Normal. 

When DS1 is calm and in a good mood we talk through together what consequences for X, Y or Z should be, agree on something and then I hold him to it when he acts crazy. 

Punching her sister in the face is not ok though. That would be in end-his-world territory for me - no TV or iPad for a week to start. 

trust. It was not pretty when that happened. She's not a tv/iPad kid but she went straight to bed, no book, no hanging out.

It was just so out of character. She adores her sister

[Deleted]

Normal. My five year old is no longer my sweet little boy anymore. When my son acts up he loses privileges and gains chores. Last week we had a play date and he punched the kid in the stomach. He picked up dog poop and lost all screen time for the day.

[sldt]

Normal but worse when she's tired (5.5 now). I dread when she starts K where there's no opportunity for a nap.

[caffeinezzz]

OMG my 6.5 year old is the same way. Yesterday at camp he was written up twice: once for hitting and deliberately stepping on a kid's foot, and the second time for running away when told go to inside. His rationale: the kids he hit were breaking the rules in soccer, and he didn't 'run away', he 'ran around'. WTF.

I've read that 6 year olds are terrors and can get very aggressive. Normal in their development. Sucks

[demandypants]

I agree, normal. We have a little attitude on our hands too. And she is our handful child so it came as no surprise. it comes and goes though. And she responds better when we warn once and then follow through. Also, it is worse if we are occupied and she is attention seeking.

[Deleted]

I can relate. I'm not sure if the remedy for typical children is different, but our boys' behavior therapists are all about positive discipline.

A lot of "you can do X" Instead of "don't do Y." Acknowledging the feelings behind the behavior. Making option maps and let them help. "When I'm angry, I can:_____."

Active ignoring when warranted.

I have a long way to go to follow the method correctly. I have a really difficult time not getting angry and yelling. But when I watch the therapists in action, it's great.

[jeaniebueller]

Yup, my 5.5 year old has been an asshole much more than he used to be lately. Normal.